


Names

by chubdragon



Category: NieR: Automata (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Light Angst, Philosophical questions, Spoilers, and the like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-26
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-11-06 03:28:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17931977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chubdragon/pseuds/chubdragon
Summary: 2B and 9S talk about names.





	Names

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS for ending E (and C and D)  
> I highly recommend playing/watching those endings before going into this.
> 
> Also yay my first fic in years!
> 
> Update: fic reworked to fit the canon of the light novels Memory Cage and Memory Thorn

“Hey…”

“What is it, 9S”

“Should we change our names?”

It had been several weeks since the Tower's collapse. After awakening, 2B and 9S reunited with the remnants of the resistance, including Anemone. After some back and forth on what they would do next, the two YoRHA androids decided they would travel the world and assist androids along the way. There was little else for them to do anyway. After stocking up and saying their farewells, 2B and 9S set off beyond the city.

It was not the first time a name change was suggested. Before they left, Anemone suggested it first, as a means to cut ties with their past and move on. 2B took it into consideration, but had yet to decide on the matter. She kept it in the back of her memory logs, until today.

“Do names particularly matter?” 2B replied, shifting her gaze away from her companion's approaching figure to the horizon.

9S scratched his head and sighed. “That's so like you to say that…” he murmured. “I just thought… Ah nevermind. Let's hurry our pace so we can make it to that mountain before we exhaust ourselves, I don't want to sleep in the forest again.”

2B watched 9S sprint ahead of her. That was that on the subject… or so 2B had thought, yet the idea kept circulating in her mind.

“Proposal: 2B should converse with 9S on the topic of names,” Pod 042 perked up, as if reading 2B's thoughts.

“It seems so meaningless… Why the proposal?”

“2B's mental performance has been noted as struggling with the idea. Hypothesis: if 9S and 2B discuss the issue thoroughly, 2B's processing will be put at rest.”

2B sighed, opting not to respond.

-

The two droids had holed up in a small cave for a short rest. 9S was staring out of the cave as 2B lay by his side.

“Say… 2B,”

“... What is it, 9S?”

“Do you think… Now that we are without any sort of, yknow, obligations… We can re-evaluate ‘meaningless’ things?”

“Ah…” she figured he would bring it up again. “The names, huh?”

“If you really don't want to its fine…” 9S backstepped, sensing a bit of ire in 2B's voice.

2B rose from her position to sit upright. “I really don't see the point in changing our names…” she replied, rather more coldly than she intended.

9S turned away to stare at the ground. “You would, wouldn't you, 2B? Or, rather, 2E?”

2B froze were she was. “So you know.”

9S merely nodded in response, refusing to look at her.

It wouldn’t be the first time.

Both sat in awkward, tense silence for a moment that lasted way too long for either of their liking. Reprieve was provided when pod 153 spoke up, proposing further rest. Both androids nestled into an uneasy sleep.

When the androids next awoke, their travel resumed like normal. Or, so 2B would have hoped. Like always, 9S rambled on about some topic- 2B had long since stopped interrupting and started responding with her own observations, since time was no longer of the essence and she rather enjoyed the conversations. But the conversations were hollow now, cheap attempts at bringing back a status quo that was shattered the night before. 2B was acutely aware of the change in atmosphere, and she suspected so did 9S. This is why emotions were prohibited, 2B lamented. The silence was suffocating, but the conversations were even more so.

“Proposal: 2B and 9S should work on properly communicating their issues for the betterment of teamwork,” pod 042 said to 2B one day, when 9S was out of earshot.

“Easier said than done…” 2B replied. She pressed her hand to her forehead, as if nursing a headache. Unpleasant memories were resurfacing. Memories of sand, and blood. She dropped her hand to her side. It was easier before, in a way. All she had to do was kill him. That’s all…

But now, she didn’t have to. Now, she couldn’t.

Suddenly 2B felt very vulnerable, acutely missing the presence of an order, a confirmation to tell her it was all worth it. It wasn’t. None of it was.

“2B can not further muddle the issue with subtleties. Forward, open communication must be made to ensure resolution of the issue.”

“Wha?!” 2B was taken aback by the proposal. She noticed since awakening that the pods have certainly been more… expressive than before. “That is much too forward,” she added.

“Detecting hostility from unit 2B. It is recommended to wait to approach 9S until hostility has disappeared. Further travel is encouraged.”

2B nodded. “Finally something I can agree on.”

-

The forest path led them to a giant waterfall cascading to a river below. The droids took the chance to replenish their water fuel by the roaring falls.

“Proposal,”

The sudden referral jolted 2B from a stupor of deep thought, nearly causing her to drop her filter into the rushing water.

“2B should take this chance to speak with 9S,” 042 continued, disregarding 2B's slip-up.

2B stared her pod down for a moment, but turned away. She glanced at 9S, who was busy with his own filter, and her chest felt tight. 

Now would be better than later… 

2B placed her filter back and faced 9S, who was still sitting by the river's edge. She tightened her fist, and released it again. This should not have to be so hard. What would she even say? What would she even do? 

A lifetime of orders rendered 2B weak when faced with her own decisions.

“9S…”

“Hm?” 9S turned around to look up at 2B. Maskless, his eyes reflected a genuine curiosity for what 2B had to say. Subconsciously, 2B wondered what her own eyes betrayed.

“I…” Little sound left her lips as she struggled to find the right words. 9S shifted, clearly seeing something was up.

“I’m-” 

I won’t apologize, because this is my mission.

There was no more mission.

I won’t feel any guilt. Not now.

Guilt had eaten at her heart even then.

Not ever. 

“I’m sorry.”

Those words simultaneously felt relieving and damning, a lifetime of closing her own heart away cracking away. 9S matched 2B’s stare, his eyes hiding a world of emotion, but remained silent. Memories raced through 2B’s head of all the times she’d taken his life. Standing there, staring at the man she’d come to hold dear, whom she’s killed so many times. Sliced his head open. Crushed his chest. Ripped him to shreds. Watched him die at her own sword. Watched him die… Watched him killed… Killed him… Killed…

2B hadn’t even realized she had begun to cry until 9S rose to his feet, his face plastered with concern. A sob racked her body, and she finally felt the heat of her tears on her cheeks. She stood there, shaking, as 9S approached her slowly.

“2B…”

“It’s strange-” 2B spoke. She tried to sound collected as her usual self, but that was hard to do while crying. “- I’d never thought- I’d ever say-”

9S was now standing half a foot away from 2B. He cupped 2B’s cheek with his hand as he looked at her face, wiping away a tear with his thumb. His hand was warm… 2B felt some of the painful feeling slip away. Soothing… She tilted her head into his hand, clasped his hand with her own, closed her eyes, and sobbed.

9S finally spoke up, seeing that 2B couldn’t. “I… I think that… Before A2 even told me, I knew. Somehow, I… I always felt…” Uneasy. “Uneasy.” He’s said that before. “Like I knew the threat you posed to me.”

“I-”

“I don’t- I don’t think I cared, though,” 9S continued, now cupping 2B’s other cheek. “I liked being with you. I…” Had fun. “I had fun.” He’s said that before. “And I would do it over and over again, if I’m being honest,” 9S chuckled. His attempt at levity fell flat, though 2B could feel the sobs subsiding.

“I- I’m so glad…” Her voice came out as barely a whisper.

9S tilted his head, and when 2B opened her eyes again they matched his inquisitive ones.

“That- that I don’t have to kill you anymore.”

Her voice was so earnest, so… emotional. Combined with the gentle, genuinely happy look on 2B’s face... It took 9S aback. And it made him so happy to see it. “2B…” He returned her smile.

They stood there quietly for a moment, both so vulnerable yet so happy, crying and yet so happy.

After a while, 9S dropped his hands from 2B’s face down to grasp her hands gently. “We have a new chance ahead of us. A new life.” For the first time since they woke up, 2B now truly understood what that meant. Another chance...

“That's why I wanted new names… As chance to shape our identities anew,” he continued, “You don't have to be 2B, or 2E anymore.”

2B remained silent, letting the last phrase sink in. She didn’t have to be… E anymore.

As she stood there, reflecting, 9S began to pull her along beside him, walking upriver away from the falls. “We don't have to decide right away,” he continued, “I still can't decide what name would suit me. Maybe something simple, like- uhh- Max, or Shura. Or maybe something more interesting, like Nathaniel!”

2B let herself be dragged along. She was barely listening to what he was saying, but… she enjoyed it nonetheless. Her fingers tightened around his. In this moment, she could feel the sun gently on her faux skin, hear the mumble of the river water, hear the birds twittering somewhere in the near distance, watch the sun dance on the river’s surface, listen to 9S speculating… It was nice. More than nice. It felt mundane, simple, foolish, but pleasant and… alive.

“So, 2B, I was thinking!”

“Hm?” 2B replied, slightly absentmindedly as she let herself just… feel.

“How about… Romeo for me, and Juliet for you?”

And with that the magic moment was gone. 

2B dropped 9S's hand and picked up her pace.

“What? What did I say?” 9S asked, pleading for answers.

“Stick to regular names, Nines,” 2B replied strictly. But, she hid a smile as she walked onward, “and don't curse us to commit double suicide.”

9S stated at 2B's back with a look of surprise before grinning. “I'll try!”


End file.
